Between Macron, his ministers and his close advisors, relations sometimes seem stormy. Blame it on everyone’s personal ambitions.
Relations are not always easy with the President of the Republic and it is not the ministers who will say the opposite. The Macron era, in particular the second five-year term of the head of state, seems particularly concerned by relational upheavals as evidenced by the three reshuffles already organized since his re-election in 2022. While he knows that he is benefiting from these last years at the head of the country before being able to claim the presidency again in 2032, Emmanuel Macron wants to leave its mark and carry out its policy, even if it must evolve from the logic of “overtaking” towards a more right-wing line. It is up to ministers or those who want to rise to the government to follow him.
Problem is, the 2027 deadline is accompanied by the question of succession: who will lead the majority after Emmanuel Macron’s departure from the Elysée? Some seek to position themselves slowly while others campaign for their foe, but all seize every opportunity to get closer to the objective and the reshuffles are springboards without comparison. The President must therefore deal with these personal ambitions, but he would not be in the habit of always acquiescing to everyone’s demands when they do not go his way or would do so, for lack of other solutions, but sometimes to reluctantly.
“I don’t know how to say things well”
If the January reshuffle ultimately brought few changes to the government, initially Emmanuel Macron wanted to replace certain heads, including those of the two heavyweights who have been members of the executive since 2017: Gérald Darmanin at the Interior and Bruno Le Maire at the Economy. The first would have been offered the super-Ministry of Labor, Health and Solidarity that he coveted and the second would have been worked on to take the head of the European majority list, reports the Express. But the insistent refusals of ministers determined to remain in their posts prevented Emmanuel Macron’s plans. “They piss me off [sic]” would thus have let go of the Head of State, giving in to the desires of the rare figures of Macronie.
A failure which upset the one who wants to be the sole decision-maker and master of the clocks in times of reshuffle. However, this is the only point on which the President of the Republic has let go. The evidence on the choice of the Prime Minister which offended many of his close allies. After coveting Julien Denormandie, who was one of the first choices and had the support of Richard Ferrand and François Bayrou, it was ultimately on Gabriel Attal that the Head of State set his sights without taking into account the opinion of his advisors. In addition to the result, it is the way in which Emmanuel Macron proceeded which disappointed and annoyed Richard Ferrand, former president of the National Assembly according to the‘Express : “Why did you marinate Julien for so long to name Gabriel? This is not correct.”
But in these relationships intimately linked to the exercise of power, is it not common to act in this way? According to the newspaper’s indiscretions, Emmanuel Macron himself recognizes errors in his communication and his relationships with relatives or ministers: “I am unfit, I don’t know how to say things well… I shock people, I sadden them.” But he would also see it as a sort of cross to bear as head of state: “The mission that is mine condemns one to solitude.”